Happy Holidays
by storiesofasiren
Summary: The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future are...hot?


"DECK THE HALLS WITH BOUGHS OF HO-"

"Shut up!" I shrieked, finally unable to stand it anymore, slamming my textbook shut in aggravation realizing I would get absolutely no studying done with everyone bustling about and shouting as they did in the morning. I loved my brother to pieces, but I had a huge test later that afternoon and was therefore not in a very Christmassy mood. And to be quite frank his adorable, yet highly off key singing was doing very little to improve that mood.

I glared into my cereal, listening to my mother's scolding "Katherine!" followed by a disapproving sounding huff as she turned on her heel to go back to doing whatever she was before.

"Look mom I'm stressed out enough as it is with this test, and I have this killer headache right now, and-!" I broke off when I looked up and saw her staring daggers at me from over her laptop.

I snorted and started stabbing at my cereal, which was giving me absolutely no satisfaction due to my only weapon being a spoon. But I made do.

My mother had always favored my brother regardless of whatever else she claimed, making a huge deal of it whenever we snapped at him for being obnoxiously loud or annoying, and then coddling him like a baby when he got upset. I'd learned my lesson though, once, when I had tried to tell her this and had gotten grounded, forced to miss my friend's party.

So yes, he can scream Christmas carols at a pitch most opera singers only dream of reaching at seven a.m. in the morning, but when I feel like she's purposefully spoiling him and leaving me out I'm the one who's petty and attention seeking.

Mornings just aren't my friends. I ceased my violent attack on my breakfast of champions and grabbed my backpack, heading for the door. "Don't forget we're having people over tonight so you have to clean your room when you get home!" my mother called after me.

I snorted softly to myself, not having realized dinner was being held in my room. It's not like anyone would actually be coming into my room anyway since they were all over the age of forty or they were Jake Livingston.

Ugh. Jake Livingston. There wasn't a day that went by when he hadn't been a complete ass to me and everyone else on the planet and if he even thought he had the slightest chance of getting into my room—or anything my room might entail for that matter—he was only kidding himself.

"Will do!" I called sarcastically to my mom as I walked out the front door, jogging across my yard to my friend's ancient green Volkswagon. "I still can't believe you bought this thing." I told Jenna, climbing into the passenger seat with an already exhausted sigh. It was a truly ugly car. The paint was chipping and the front bumper was only hanging on by duck-tape most of the time, giving it the appearance that it was fifteen years old instead of five. Her older brother hadn't taken very good care of it.

"You want rides in the morning?" she asked me pointedly as I threw my bag into the back seat.

"If I get my own car for Christmas then I won't have to get rides," I shot back, grinning. Jenna rolled her eyes and started the engine, zooming off as fast as I could blink, dodging pedestrians and trying to make conversation as we hurdled along the roads at a highly illegal pace to our school.

"So your parents are actually considering it?" she asked me, her eyebrows scrunched together as she looked at me. I mentally pleaded with her to turn her eyes back to the road.

I laughed. "I doubt it. They don't trust me enough." I paused, smirking. "Even though I'm less of a hazard on the road than some people," I added tilting my head exaggeratedly in her direction with a small smile.

"I have no idea who you're talking about." She grinned, flicking her light brown hair at me when she turned back to look at the road.

"My parents are throwing another Christmas party this year and you can come if you want." I changed the subject quickly returning to my previously glum mood. I spoke quickly, hoping beyond hope that she would make a rash decision and choose to join me in my misery instead of attending whatever party her boyfriend was most likely throwing this year. It was a long shot, and I knew before I had finished the offer that nothing was going to change this year.

She raised her eyebrows. "I don't usually try to associate with people over twice my age so I'll pass," she replied with a shudder. I shrugged. I didn't blame her for not wanting to come, but I couldn't help but feel abandoned. "Will Jake be there?" she asked quickly, eyeing me sympathetically.

"Yup." I nodded.

"Hang in there champ."

"That didn't change your mind?" I asked hopefully, allowing my head to fall against the headrest with a dull thud.

She let out a laugh that made me startle. "If anything you've made me want to come even less." She looked sideways at me. "But good try."

I sighed dramatically. "How will I possibly go on now? A whole night of having to hear about his track medals and soccer scholarship that I could honestly not care any less about, and you say no? Well, your loss," I joked, leaning back into my seat, trying to look upset.

"When is your mom going to wake up and realize that he's a perv and you're way too good for him?" Jenna narrowed her eyes as she spoke, throwing her hands in the air. I mentally pleaded with her to put them back on the wheel. "I mean seriously! The dude's a creep."

I nodded in agreement. "Probably when she helps me buy my own car," I griped.

She shook her head. "I'm so sorry for you darling."

We were silent for a moment, crossing over a bridge. I had been looking out the side window for most of the drive, and when I glanced out the front window, I screamed. "Oh my god! Look out!" I cried.

Jenna slammed her foot on the brake and we skidded to a stop. Not even glancing at her panic crazed face, I leapt out of the car, looking wildly around for what I had seen.

There was nothing. I scrunched my eyes in confusion, sure I had seen a guy run out in front of the car just a moment before, but there was no one here. Holding in my aggravation, I felt a hint of embarrassment.

"What the hell was that?!" Jenna gasped as I practically collapsed back into the passenger seat.

"Nothing I thought I saw something, let's just go to school," I mumbled quickly. With that she pulled off, much more slowly than before, but still at a pace I could only describe as Jenna.

I leaned my head against the window, so sure I had seen someone run in front of the car. He had dark hair and was wearing equally as dark clothing. I hadn't got a good look at his face, but I was sure he looked at us before we had almost hit him. All I could remember were dark eyes, a brief flash of panic and recognition flitting across his face.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. It was nothing, there was no one there. I was just tired, or hallucinating. Or both.

It was going to be a long day.


End file.
